UFC boss: Vitor Belfort has been 'unjustly beat down for the TRT thing'

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UFC boss: Vitor Belfort has been 'unjustly beat down for the TRT thing'

UFC President Dana White has come out against testosterone-replacement therapy and knows fighters are getting an unfair advantage with it. But he believes one user, middleweight contender Vitor Belfort, has gotten a bum rap.

"I think Vitor has been unjustly beat down for the TRT thing," White said. "You guys know how I feel about TRT. But he's done everything the right way and been within the limits he's supposed to be in."

Belfort's TRT use became a central topic before and after his UFC on FX 8 headliner. Fighting in Brazil for the third time in four fights, Belfort moved to 3-0 in his home country after a vicious first-round knockout of former Strikeforce Luke Rockhold at the May 18 event.

While numerous other UFC fighters – UFC 161 headliner Dan Henderson, Chael Sonnen, Frank Mir and Forrest Griffin, among others – have used TRT to raise low testosterone levels, Belfort has taken much of the heat. Part of the reason is that Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer has said Belfort would be unlikely to get a therapeutic-use exemption for TRT in the state, primarily because he failed a steroid test in 2006. (Past steroid use can contribute to low testosterone levels.)

That's led to speculation that Belfort has been fighting in Brazil primarily because the country's regulatory body, Comissao Atletica Brasileira de MMA (CABMMA), does grant him a TUE. White, though, insists that's the not the case.

"He will end up fighting in the States," White said. "He's been fighting in Brazil because he does well in Brazil. There's no conspiracy.

"First of all, have we ever done anything slimy, seriously, in 13 years? Like, 'Let's keep him in Brazil so nobody (tests him).' I f---ing hate unfair people who cheat, putting guys in a position where they're at a disadvantage. I hate that stuff. I want fights to happen evenly and for the best guy to win, and that's why I was so pissed off about the TRT thing because I felt like people were cheating. People are getting jacked up during their training. One guy's fighting on his natural abilities, the other guy's getting jacked up, he recovers faster in training camp than the guy who's natural, and then he gets his levels back down before the fight. That's what was pissing me off."

"For the fight with Rockhold, I did seven blood tests," Belfort said. "I did one every week. I have records of all of them. Some of the results are even lower than they should be, and the doctor said, 'You should probably increase,' and I said, 'No, I don't want to get to a level that's bad for me.'

"I just want people to know that I have a conscience, and I wanted to have something, a record, that for the rest of my life people can know I was doing something right. I don't ever want to cheat."

Belfort (23-10 MMA, 12-6 UFC) is now 4-1 in his past five fights, and the lone defeat came after his move from middleweight to light heavyweight for a late-notice challenge against champ Jon Jones. With the return to 185 pounds and back-to-back "Knockout of the Night" wins over Michael Bisping and Rockhold, he's inching closer to a rematch with middleweight titleholder Anderson Silva.

And if it happens, White insists it'll be a fair fight.

"I would never, and Lorenzo (Fertitta) would never put a guy down in Brazil because we think he'll pass down there and won't pass somewhere else," he said. "And the guys that regulate Brazil are the same f---ing guys who pulled (Alexander) Gustafsson out of the fight (at UFC on FUEL TV 9) for the cut. Same guys. And it's not like I was a big fan of their decision in (Sweden). So it's not like they're doing me any favors or we have some yahoo buddy-buddy relationship."

"I don't think it's time to ask; I think it's time to earn," Belfort (23-10 MMA, 12-6 UFC) tells USA TODAY Sports and MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps). "That's my ethic in life. Life is about earning. Sometimes in life, you look at very rich guys who have been given everything, and they wind up crashing. They lose their family's fortune. They didn't know how to keep it because they didn't earn it. That's how I go through life.

"I go to the gym every day. I work hard. I know I will bring that title back. But it's not about waiting for the time. It's about making my time now."

In recent years, it seems UFC title shots often have been granted to the most outspoken contender rather than the most deserving. Middleweight Chael Sonnen (27-13-1 MMA, 6-6 UFC) is the poster boy of such opportunities, masterfully campaigning for title shots in two different weight classes, where he lost each time. But Belfort, 36, chooses to not follow that path.

"Everyone is about fighting for the title, and they want to get themselves there by selling fights, picking fights, talking trash on Twitter," Belfort says. "I'm not saying they're wrong. It's a style. I'm not criticizing or judging them, because I don't have that right.

"But I have the right to work hard and to ask people to recognize that work. That's the way I want to get to the top, and I believe I made it. I believe I've done everything necessary."

Indeed, Belfort is 7-1 in his eight bouts as a middleweight, with the loss coming in 2011 to current champion Anderson Silva (33-4 MMA, 16-0 UFC). Since that defeat, Belfort has earned stoppage wins against four different middleweights while also venturing up to 205 pounds for a chance at champ Jon Jones, where "The Phenom" nearly pulled off a monumental upset before ultimately submitting in the fourth round.

But after wins in 2013 against Luke Rockhold and Michael Bisping — both of whom were expected to challenge for the title should they have beaten Belfort — the knockout artist wants to know from UFC brass why he shouldn't be next for the winner of next month's UFC 162 headliner between Silva and challenger Chris Weidman (9-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC).

"Dana White, Lorenzo Fertitta, they are promoters, and I respect them very much," Belfort says. "Right now, I haven't heard from them, and I don't know what's going on, but I've served the organization very well.

"I'm fighting in main events, winning fights, shocking everybody. I'm right there, and they know that. Now it's just waiting to see if I've done enough.

"You cannot go against results, so look at my results. That's what I mean. Some people earn, and some people don't. They try to get there without earning it. I believe in every area of my life, I earn — and I earn through the glory of God."

Wow if the blood tests did happen that pretty much exhonorates Vitor IMO. 7 straight weeks of normal levels during training camp. It's hard to believe had had gains that would last for 2 months before going into camp. People may not want to admit that maybe Vitor has evolved into a better fighter....

"I don't call the fighting in my films 'violent', I call it 'action'. An action film borders between fantasy and reality. If I were to be completely realistic in my films, you would call me a violent, bloody man. I would simply destroy my opponent by tearing his guts out. I wouldn't do it so artistically." ~Bruce Lee

Rashaad could be a good fight too. or maybe the loser of weidman/silva

Can't see the Blackzillians fighting each other, and if Silva loses he'll get an immediate rematch. But the Weidman fight would prove that Vitor has developed his wrestling defense as well, so that would be a good win for him.

I like both the Weidman and Hendo ideas mentioned here. (Though, I honestly believe Vitor beats Hendo at this point.)

Can't see the Blackzillians fighting each other, and if Silva loses he'll get an immediate rematch. But the Weidman fight would prove that Vitor has developed his wrestling defense as well, so that would be a good win for him.

I like both the Weidman and Hendo ideas mentioned here. (Though, I honestly believe Vitor beats Hendo at this point.)

For an earlier fight, how about Jacare?

Vitor throughout his career has been a nomad going from gym to gym I could see him fighting a training partner. He would probably have to split from the camp but I don't think he would have a problem with that.

Vitor throughout his career has been a nomad going from gym to gym I could see him fighting a training partner. He would probably have to split from the camp but I don't think he would have a problem with that.

That's true, but I hope he doesn't. The Blackzillians seem to be doing a lot of good for him.